5 December (Part 2) - In only five months…
Another election!
We know that Councillor Alan Downing (Conservative, St. Mary’s) will step down next May because he has said so, but what of the others?
There are clues in Crayford and Falconwood where, respectively, Felix Di Netinah (Photo 3) has already
usurped Christine Bishop at public events and Frazer Brooks proved his worth
while seeing Louie French elected as MP for Old Bexley, and likely to replace him as Councillor.
With any luck Aaron Newbury
will go down to Labour’s Wendy Perfect in Northumberland Heath.
Who else might we see no more of in Council?
Well there is Danny Hackett the Independent for Thamesmead East and
Independents have never done well in Bexley. For a start they need at the very least
to flood a ward with their candidates. My money is on him not even trying
and devoting all his spare time to good causes like The Welling Round Table.
Probably Dave Putson (Independent, Belvedere) will take his leave of Belvedere residents too.
Will June Slaughter call it a day? Despite some obvious mobility problems she
was out canvassing for Louie in all weathers. She won’t want to give it up and one must hope she doesn’t.
Having fallen into disfavour with the Leader, which is in my book, a good
thing, Alex Sawyer should be watched carefully. He of the flamboyant socks crept
away from the last Full Council meeting at half time and has not bothered to put
in an appearance at any other meeting.
Now that we are within six months of the election in May he could become a full
time skiver and not risk a by-election. It would be a shame if he left because
Bexley needs every Councillor possible to vote against Teresa O’Neill for Leader
to Build a Better Borough. We have lost Gareth Bacon and Louie French to Parliament so
perversely Teresa O’Neill’s dominance becomes stronger.
Who would be given a safe seat and,
numerically speaking, take Louie’s place? Ominously Chris Taylor
(he of the flamboyant hair dye pictured above) who was defeated by UKIP in the now defunct Colyers ward
in 2014 has been showing up with the Leaderְ’s canvassing gang recently. The group
that showed total disloyalty to Louie French by spending their time securing
their own seats rather than his. The Leader will want Taylor on board
for voting fodder, Those in need of care services might be less keen.
After Care Services were contracted out and he was the
Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services
Chris Taylor was reluctant to take responsibility for their failures. The omens are not good.
There are few potential Leaders among Bexley’s Conservative Councillors and fewer still who could be trusted.
Richard Diment perhaps and err… I am struggling now. James Hunt for light relief, Andy Dourmoush for
his financial acumen, David Leaf for… No, this is getting silly now.